EIM unveils e-learning initiative

EIM has teamed up with Element K to deliver a wide range of bi-lingual e-learning courses to users in the UAE. The courses are targeted at all levels of society and cover everything from basic computing skills upwards.

Emirates Internet & Multimedia (EIM) has teamed up with Element K to deliver a wide range of bi-lingual e-learning courses to users in the UAE. Although the courses are targeted at all levels of society and cover everything from basic computing skills through to high end certifications, Maroua Naim, general manager of EIM, believes certain groups within the UAE may find the service more attractive than others.

"For example, women in the Middle East sometimes do not have access to education... However, this [initiative] brings the training and the university to their homes," she says.

The Element K courses can be accessed via EIM's dedicated portal, LearnOnline.ae, and prices start from as little as Dhs98 per course. In addition to boosting IT education within the UAE, EIM sees the initiative as a way of increasing its broadband subscription base.

"E-learning is a key application that is enriching communities, companies and employees on the one hand while driving up the demand for broadband internet services on the other," says Naim.

Concurrent to the unveiling of its e-leaning offering, EIM parent company, Etisalat, has announced a new mobile portal called Hayati, which allows users to personalise the online and mobile content they receive.

While beneficial for users, perhaps the most important aspect of the launch is that it offers a platform for local developers to create content and applications for use throughout the Arab world. This in turn should help boost internet usage within the Middle East.